“The body of Christ” refers to the church as well as to the eucharist. When we share in the body and blood of Christ, we have communion with God and with one another.

Jesus is present to us in many ways. We hear his voice in the gospel. We experience his love in our community. We receive him sacramentally in the eucharist. We are called the body of Christ because Christ dwells with us. As Saint Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.”

When we receive communion we experience our communion with one another. Many though we are, we are one in Christ. Just as many grains of wheat make one loaf, just as one loaf is shared by many people, just as many people become one by sharing that one loaf, so do we become one in Christ. Jesus unites our community when we share our communion together.

Paul’s words were especially significant to the Corinthians. He began this letter addressing the divisions in their church and calling the faithful there to unity. AT this point in his letter, we understand why. Their unity in the church is critical to the integrity of their worship.

If our eucharist is to be sincere, our communion must be real. We eat the body of Christ. We drink the blood of Christ. We are the body of Christ.

Written by Paul Turner. Liturgy Training Publications
Copyright 2004, Archdiocese of Chicago